a. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to nasal sprayers and, more particularly, to nasal sprayers that deliver a single dose that is user independent as to dosage amount and dosage speed of delivery to yield a consistent, predetermined dose and profile spray.
b. Description of Related Art
The following patents are representative of sprayers:
U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,806 B2 to Daniel Py et al. describes a dispenser for dispensing a fluid which includes a rigid vial that has a main fluid chamber containing a fluid, and a pump assembly that is in fluid communication with the main fluid chamber and is configured to dispense a predetermined quantity of fluid from the main fluid chamber. A flexible bladder is provided which is located within the main fluid chamber and is configured to expand to fill the ullage created within the main fluid chamber during dispensing of fluid by the pump assembly. The resilient bladder tends to force itself outwardly toward the rigid vial and, in turn, increases the pressure within the main fluid chamber in comparison to the interior of the bladder to thereby prevent the ingress of air or vapors through the bladder or otherwise into the main fluid chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,219 to Daniel Py et al. describes a dispenser for holding multiple doses of fluids or other substances, and for dispensing the substances, which has a vial, a flexible bladder received within the vial, and a variable volume storage chamber formed between the bladder and vial. A filling valve is coupled in fluid communication with the storage chamber and defines a normally closed, fluid-tight position hermetically sealing the storage chamber from the ambient atmosphere, and an open position allowing the passage of fluid through the valve both to evacuate the storage chamber and to introduce fluid through the valve to fill the storage chamber. A pump is coupled in fluid communication with the storage chamber for pumping fluids out of the storage chamber. A dispensing valve is coupled in fluid communication with the pump and defines a normally closed, fluid-tight position preventing the passage of fluid out of the dispenser, and an open position for dispensing pumped fluid therethrough. The sealed, empty dispenser is sterilized, such as by applying gamma radiation thereto. Then, the sterilized, sealed, empty dispenser is filled with fluid by engaging the filling valve with an evacuating/dispensing member to evacuate the storage chamber, and by introducing fluid from the filling member through the open filling valve and into the storage chamber. The filling member is withdrawn from the valve, and a spring moves the valve to a closed position to hermetically seal the fluid within the dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,663 B2 to John E. Harrold describes the present invention mechanically propelled, liquid metered dispenser which includes a main housing with liquid storage and a liquid advancing component for either allowing liquid to flow out or assisting in the flow of liquid out of the main housing by exerting pressure, into a metered dosage dispensing chamber in response to a loading movement of a cocking mechanism. The chamber has an inlet connected to the main housing with a one-way valve to only permit flow of liquid into the chamber. The chamber also has an outlet orifice for dispensing liquid therefrom in a metered amount. The chamber has a reciprocal plunger and has a load and release component connected to it, which includes a cocking mechanism is functionally connected to the plunger so as to move in harmony therewith, or, more preferably, to move a relatively short distance relative to the distance traveled by the cocking mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,101 B1 to Daniel Py describes a pump type dispenser for dispensing predetermined doses of medicament in droplets or in spray form to the nasal area which incorporates a rigid vial for medicament, and expandable pouch located within the rigid vial, a nasal screen, a one-way actuation mechanism, a one-way valve mechanism in the nozzle area and a spring element, both the valve mechanism and the spring element being formed as integral portions of the pump body. The nasal screen aligns the dispenser nozzle with the nasal passage and also allows the user to discreetly hide the nasal area from the public view. The one-way valve mechanism in the nozzle area ensures a one-way movement of medicament from the dispenser, thereby preserving substantially perfect sterility of the medicament in the dispenser regardless of the environment surrounding the dispenser, without requiring the use of preservatives. The one way actuation mechanism enables the user to load and dispense a uniform quantity of medicament with a uniform actuation force and speed via a single continuous motion of the actuation mechanism upon application of a very small force on the actuation trigger mechanism by the user. By preventing the pump mechanism from being left in a loaded state for a prolonged period of time, the one-way actuation mechanism prevents the spring element from experiencing the “fatigue” phenomenon. The rigid vial/expandable-pouch combination facilitates improved long term use, as well as uniformity of dosage independent of the pump orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,384 to Daniel Py describes a medicament-dispensing system which includes a cartridge for housing and actuating an accordion-like vial-dispenser for dispensing a calibrated amount of medicament by means of a single actuation motion which sequentially loads the vial-dispenser and dispenses the loaded medicament. The vial-dispenser has a front bellows portion, a rear bellows portion, an internal piston mechanism, a medicament storage chamber and a dosage cavity. The cartridge has a trigger mechanism which acts in concert with a notched lever and a wedge-shaped arm internally located in the cartridge to sequentially load the dosage cavity with medicament and discharge it. Depression of the trigger mechanism simultaneously extends, by means of the notched lever, the front bellows portion and compresses the rear bellows portion to load the dosage cavity with medicament. Once the notched lever has extended the front bellows portion a predetermined distance, the notched lever is disengaged form the front bellows portion by the wedge-shaped arm extending from the rear wall of the housing, thereby releasing the front and rear bellows portions, along with the internal piston mechanism, to return to original position and force the medicament from the dosage cavity via a nozzle of the vial-dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,711 to Karl-Heinz Fuchs et al. describes that in a device suitable for discharging media or at least one springly deformable component consists of a copolymer produced with a co-catalyst such as titanocen, more particularly an ethylene α-olefine copolymer which may also be improve as regards its resiliency by gamma irradiation. In a spiral spring produced from this or a similar plastics material axially adjacent spiral sections are directly integrally connected to each other not only via the spiral but also along the circumference of the spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,869 to Daniel Py describes an apparatus that is used to apply medicament to an eye and stores the medicament in a medicament chamber. A nozzle is coupled in fluid communication with the medicament chamber and is formed by an outer nozzle portion and an inner nozzle portion received within the outer nozzle portion. A seam is formed by the interface of the inner nozzle portion and the outer nozzle portion and is normally in a closed position to prevent the passage of medicament through the nozzle. The seam opens in response to the flow of medicament of sufficient pressure into the seam to permit the passage of medicament through the nozzle for release into the eye.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,957 to Daniel Py describes an apparatus that is used to apply medicament to an eye and stores the medicament in a medicament chamber. A nozzle is coupled in fluid communication with the medicament chamber and is formed by an outer nozzle portion and an inner nozzle portion received within the outer nozzle portion. A tight interface is defined between the inner nozzle portion and the outer nozzle portion and is normally in a closed position to prevent the passage of medicament through the nozzle. The interface opens in response to the flow of medicament of sufficient pressure into it to permit the passage of medicament through the nozzle for release into the eye.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,259 to Daniel Py describes a cartridge for actuating a piston-like or accordion-like dispenser-vial for applying a medicament to an eye. The cartridge includes a housing for holding the dispenser-vial and a telescoping cylinder for compressing the dispenser-vial in the longitudinal direction to actuate the vial. The cartridge includes a locking mechanism for locking the telescoping cylinder to restrict its movement and a lever mechanism for releasing the cylinder from the locked position so that a drop is released from the dispenser. The housing includes a finger for engaging the lower eyelid and exposing the conjunctival culde-sac.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,986 to Daniel Py describes a cartridge for actuating a piston-like or accordion-like dispenser-vial for applying medicament to an eye. The cartridge includes a housing for holding the dispenser-vial and a telescoping cylinder for compressing the dispenser-vial in the longitudinal direction to actuate the vial. The cartridge includes a locking mechanism for locking the telescoping cylinder to restrict its movement and a trigger mechanism for releasing the cylinder from the locked position so that a drop is released from the dispenser. The housing includes a finger for engaging the lower eyelid and exposing the conjunctival cul de sac.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,156 to Raimund Andris describes that in a metering and spray pump for liquid, low-viscosity and pasty substances, an elastic bellows is arranged between two plastic housing parts that are telescopingly movable relative to one another, connecting them. The bellows, acting as a discharge valve has, at one end, a valve annular wall that surrounds the generated surface of an inner annular discharge seat made in one piece with the first housing part in a sealing manner and such that it can be lifted off. As a suction valve the bellows has, at its other end, a valve annular wall which is in sealing and separable contact with the generated surface of a valve seat made in one piece with the second housing part such that it can be lifted off, and the medium to be pumped is drawn into the bellows through the valve seat. To guarantee high reliability of operation, especially good closing quality at weak valve opening forces, where the quality of closing can be tested even in the dry state, with the smallest possible number of simple and easy to assemble individual parts, the valve annular wall of the discharge valve and the valve annular wall of the suction valve, which valve annular wall is provided with a closed front wall, are each is contact with conical or hemispherical generated surfaces, wherein both valve annular walls are connected to the bellows both radially elastically and elastically movable in the axial direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,430 to Lothar Graf et al. describes a vacuum-tight and pressure-tight closed storage space in a container that is constructionally combined with a thrust piston pump projecting thereinto and a drag piston slideably guided therein and in the initial position of the thrust piston pump is hermetically sealed by an exhaust valve mechanically closed in forcibly controlled manner. The drag piston is adapted to the thrust piston pump in such a way that the storage space can be emptied substantially free with the thrust piston pump.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,585 to David M. Maurice describes a method and apparatus for applying therapeutic eye drops to the eye by metering a predetermined volume of fluid and rapidly applying a pressure to one end of the metered fluid for forcing the fluid from a nozzle of means defining a small passageway such as an open ended tube as a droplet having sufficient velocity to travel a generally horizontal distance in space to the eye. Unit dose application and multiple dose application are included and provision is made for preventing anticipatory blinking of the eye during self-administration.
Notwithstanding the prior art, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.